Portugal is facing its third snap election in three years after the prime minister lost a confidence vote after being accused of corruption. Concerns about immigration and a steep rise in the cost of living have helped boost the chances of the far-Right Chega party. This despite the fact that new arrivals have helped to deliver the hoped-for economic bounce.
Portugal is the poorest country among Western European nations on a GDP per head basis despite recent increases. Along with Spain it is seeing improvements that are notably lacking in Germany and France.
The Portugal 25 April 1974 5.15pm Lisbon, chart is facing a sticky few years ahead with tr Neptune and Saturn square the Portugal Saturn Mars in Cancer square Pluto between now and 2027. There will also be significant pressure for a radical change with tr Pluto square the Portugal Taurus Sun on the focal point of a yod in 2026/27. That won’t be easy but it could set the country on a different track for the future. Especially since by that time tr Pluto in Aquarius and tr Uranus in Gemini will also be in aspect to the Portugal Pluto on one leg of that yod. So opportunities for a game-changing phase.
The Portugal/EU relationship chart, always fractious at the best of times, will be even more unsettled by 2026 and beyond, with signs of a serious rift come 2027/28.
The Bank of Portugal chart, 15 November 1975 Lisbon, will be stressed, uncertain and panicky over 2025/26 with 2027 not looking too upbeat either. 2028 will see a confidence surge.
What always strikes me as worth contemplating in terms of global history is that Portugal was the maritime global superpower in the 15th and 16th Centuries and maintained its dominance until overtaken by other European powers.
It does not quite fit with Pluto Returns coinciding with a rise and fall in power, sometimes two cycles later. But the early 12th century Portugal charts have Pluto in mid to late Taurus which roughly coincides with a rise in the late 14th Century to continuing influence through the next Pluto Return in the early 17th century and a decline from the late 19th Century Pluto Return onwards.
Empires rise and empires crumble, no one country stays top dog for ever.
And the maritime global superpower period you mention was intertwined with the growth of the African slave trade; Portugal eventually opening up and controlling trade with most of West Africa, where they traded extensively with local Kings and Chiefs, who supplied them with all manner of ‘goods’ including slaves. Some were transported back to Portugal to be sold; but many to the Caribbean and South America, where they were considered to be better workers than the indigenous people.
Thank you very much for this article!